It's not a non-sequitor...
We were incapsulated, entombed in sin. Much like Lazarus in the earthly tomb dead, we were in a spiritual tomb dead. Nothing we could do could cause us to come forth of our own volition. We had no ability to change our state. When God called unto us, we heard. He gave us ears to hear with. Not everyone will have those ears. When Jesus called, he could do nothing else but come forth. When He calls out to us we can do nothing else but come to Him. Without Me, ye can do nothing...
It is not "much like Lazarus" at all. That is the allegorization part that takes it over the wall. Being born again does not mean like a corpse, lifeless, etc.
If it did you wouldn't be able to do anything. But you do have life. Your brain does work. You do have a spirit. In this life your spirit (unsaved) can communicate with Satan if you so desire it to. It does communicate. It is active. There is a spiritual side to you, mostly selfish, humanistic, egotistical, etc., but there is still a spiritual aspect to you because you are made in the image of God.
The spirit is not dead--as in a corpse. Wrong definition.
The spirit is dead--meaning separated from God.
Death means separation!
Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
It simply means that you were once separated from God by your sins.
Sin always separates one from God.
Isaiah 59:2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.
The sinner needs to be reconciled to God. His spirit is dead or inoperable. It is not that it is non-existent, or as a corpse without life. It is inoperable. It needs to be reconciled to God.
2Co 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and
hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
--This is the work that God has given us to do.
2Co 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us:
we pray you in Christ's stead,
be ye reconciled to God.
--What is our prayer--that they be reconciled to God.
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
--The greatest message in the Bible is here: Christ became sin for us that we might be made righteous in Him. That comes through faith. Reconciliation comes through faith.